In the past, for the study of mandibular motion of a patient, articulators which have been available are extremely limited in accuracy and versatility. Such articulators are not able to reproduce the entire range and motion of movement of a patient's jaw, or to simulate the actual speed of such motion, or to faithfully reproduce the path of motion from a rest position to a position of extension in several different directions, or to reproduce a path between different extended positions.
It is desirable to provide a robotic articulator capable of improved accuracy, and to provide a more realistic simulation, in order to allow the study of mandibular motion, such as that involved in bruxism, for example, to facilitate diagnosis of disfuction, and to aid in design and construction of bridge work or other prosthetic appliances.